Dry Wind (2020) User Reviews

Above average love story

[laduqesa · 7/10 · 20 September 2020]

The closet is a dangerous and horrible place to be trapped in, especially if it leads to betrayal and fear. The hour and fifty minutes of this film flashed by while I watched Sandro's actual life and his fantasy life and desires which were warped by secrecy and concealment.

The plot outline on IMDB tells us of his hidden affair with gorgeous Ricardo. One might imagine their secret trysts to be furtive and brief, but the guys have a more than vanilla time of it. In fact, some of their actions are downright debauched. Their liaisons seem not to be simulated for the filming either. They were doing stuff beyond the call of duty of most actors.

When we peer into Sandro's fantasy life, we enter a world of leather and vice. Unless there were some very clever prostheses being used, nothing in these sequences was simulated.

Enter the new hunk Maicon. Flirting, jealousy, denunciations, a complete upturning of lives. The main characters realised what they had had and what they could lose and had lost. I hoped against hope for the ending I wanted to be in the film.

I groaned to myself when I started watching as I realised how long the runtime was. I needn't have bothered. I wasn't bored for an instant. I honestly thought my review would say "this should have been 25 minutes shorter". It was, however, just the right length.

Hot images, Dry pride

[fabiog-26-358885 · 7/10 · 1 November 2020]

Main character's mind in this movie seems set and stuck in the pre-aids 70s, when relationships between men were inevitably only sexual, hidden or very private, without possibility of public affection or ideas of construction of some kind of stable relation with something more than sex. Second main character's mind is a little more modern. He hopes to introduce his partner to his family, friends and coworkers and being accepted. Both opposite views crash in some point. And then, a third character, arises, satisfying the needs of the second one. The first one, enters into an internal crisis, where he feels himself "old", "phased out", overwhelmed by "time changes". He gets jelous and angry just surrounded by his eternal sexual fantasies... (Tom of Finland style)... But, finally, times were not changed so much in the region were they were living, and he, in a certain way, was sadly right to be discret. Anyway, beyond this, he accepts he needs to adapt his mind and... happý end... Happy end? Or more of the same hidden forest sex?

Great story

[JeanFlores-Dickens · 7/10 · 24 November 2021]

Interesting film from Brazil, I did enjoy the story and was really interested in the subplots...I don't know how this movie got funding from the Balsonaro government.

The acting was good and the story and characters appealing It entertained and heads up for the movie and audacity of some scenes... you will know what o mean when you watch them.

Male nudity and sex

[chong_an · 6/10 · 14 October 2020]

In dry season in Brazil, middle-aged Sandro leads a routine life. Swims in the morning, his job in a fertilizer factory, shopping at the supermarket, soccer with his buddies - and frequent sex with his younger coworker Ricardo, in whatever location they can find privacy. Meanwhile, Sandro lives a fantasy life of watching leathermen have sex, though I don't see where these fantasies came from. But when Ricardo finds another sexual partner, Sandro gets jealous.

Basically, your reaction to the film will be based on how much you like the nudity and sex, because it somewhat takes over the film, leaving the rest of the story with a feeling of being underdeveloped.

Too much stylization, more the same

[claudiusedmondolethard · 1/10 · 15 October 2021]

There are works in cinema that explores the commonplace motifs in order to extract some other plastic potential of them. That's what Daniel Nolasco proposes to do in every film of his. And yet he's still failing in accomplish that.

The reason of Nolasco doesn't reach the best of his works is given to a comfort zone he puts himself during his picture. The comfort zone of commonplace imagery involving ideas of men and masculinity. Than to dissimulate that commonplace imagetic motif, Nolasco washes it with high tones of stylization and extremely explicit staged sequences. The commonplace explored by Nolasco is the easiest way to reach his audience.

Differently from films like "A Portuguese woman", "Playdurism", "Take me somewhere nice" in which we find high tones of stylization too and some tableux oriented composition. The films of Daniel Nolasco doesn't explore details in his commonplace imagery that would turn to some different perspective or would reveal other sensations or affections hidden in those already highly explored and known images. He doesn't let himself explore those details. Because those details would bring some zone of uncertainty to the construction.

Lacks Nolasco some risky decisions that Jarman's pictures applied to his too extremely controlled and composed shots. That suddenly could awakens some affection or sensation in the pictorial qualities of the shot. That would show some unique gesture, moviment, expression, ways of relation between bodies and space.

Nolasco, unfortunately, stays in the sterilized provocative aestheticization of Gaspar Noé.

Not only, we see the same muscular and athletic bodies wanderlust that already is extremely dated. What about the erotic qualities of other kinds of bodies too? They don't deserve some reverie?

A new auteur is born !

[roger-99-171599 · 8/10 · 15 October 2020]

Brazilian master of provocation Daniel Nolasco's fictional feature debut puts him on the radar as a major Queer filmmaker. Raw, intense and a guilty-pleasure for any gay cinephile, Nolasco explores the fetishes of an industrial middle-aged man, as he secretly satisfies his desires and leather obsession, meeting up partners in the woods. A hardcore drama filled with explicit sex, it presents an Oscar-caliber cinematography by Larry Machado, marvelously capturing luscious angles, natural and neon lights. Scandalously hot and unique, Nolasco is definitely a promising new auteur.

Even the sex is a cop out . . .

[sl-38118 · 5/10 · 2 February 2024]

Basically a one-character film: a dumpy-looking middle-aged bear who scores above his attractiveness rating and is obsessed with sleazy erotic dreams (which are quite imaginatively filmed, if not quite on the level of, say, Fassbinder's *Querelle* in terms of color and lighting). Oh, and his jealousies.

The rest of the characters are seriously underdeveloped and not terribly interesting except perhaps for the female coworker who turns 40.

The oral sex looks to be very real, but the director cops out on the anal. I would've found it more honest if all the sex were either hinted at, or all of it genuine.

As far as the natural scenery is concerned, good lord has rampant capitalism made a wasteland out of Brazil.

Above good standard

[thg011093 · 9/10 · 4 December 2021]

Expectation: bad-scripted softcore porn

Reality: stunning visual, decent story, good actings, sex/nudity scenes more sensual than porn

This movie came as a surprise and I quite like it!

Lust is not love

[Artbrute · 8/10 · 26 December 2020]

This film is beyond the visual impact of the nudity or the sexual scenes. It is beautifully shot and directed. The soundtrack suits perfectly to the story and sequences. All the symbolism that the film shows has its own meaning - you can see it through the neon lights, the clothes/nakedness,the puzzle or Sandro's dreams. His dry lips due to the damp and hot weather makes a point too. This is what a film does, engages you think beyond what the characters say or manifest. Personally, I think the film tries to explain that love and lust are separate things and something in this case came with different people. There is also the issue that Sandro has to hide both love and lust. But sometimes you need to have both to have inner peace.

Cum now!

[danreyessat · 8/10 · 18 January 2021]

I read some of the reviews from the upper B's You act like they've never participated in anything that's in this film! . Hey I was a teenager in the late 70s early 80s and I survived the aids epidemic. This film brings back so much of the stories I heard in ACT UP and the AIDS QUILT activities! I think it's a bold and brave direction and kudos for their artistic integrity that the artors bring to the film, with a inside look that so many of us can deny any participation! Buen Echo!

A Thrilling Film

[anohso121 · 10/10 · 2 January 2021]

I gave this film a ten-star rating because it deserves, at least, an 8! I love it when a film which is targeted to a mature audience delivers on its promise, and this film accomplishes this perfectly.

Yes, there are graphic sex scenes and nudity of beautiful men, but at no time did if fall into a porn-flick. And anyone who argues otherwise does not know what is porn.

The cinematography, the background sounds, music, and the arrangement of the scenes are enough to keep your mind focus that this is a serious film about love, identity, fear, a clash of cross-generational perspectives of acceptance of one's homosexuality, among other issues. Ricardo, who appears younger is ready to commit and declare to the world his love for Sandro. But Sandro is stuck in the era when gays navigate the underworld even when in plain sight.

The film is almost 2 hours long but it felt shorter than some Shorts I've watched. This is another indication of how brilliant this film is. The plot was well-developed and easy to follow. The actors played their role confidently. I was very impressed by Renata Carvalho's performance. She did an exceptional job in the supporting role.

There is so much more to be said about this film, but I will end by saying that this will be one of my favorite gay-themed films ever, and I hope there will be more daring and satisfying films like this one in the near future.

Outstanding! Outstanding! Bravo - An accomplished work of art

[sinnerofcinema · 10/10 · 23 May 2021]

This film was fantastic. It beautiful to see when all elements come together to make a film work. In Dry Wind, between the cinematography, the music, the fierce chemistry between the actors this makes for a delicious film not soon you'll forget. The silent parts and the strongest for so much is said with looks and action. My favorite scene is when they went on the amusement park ride. So much was going on as the ride was in full swing... and the music All in all this film is a keeper. I know there's a uncut version to the film. The film on Dekko does not show the uncut version -only on DVD. And after watching the film several times, it is definintnely worth it. A provocative, raw immersive experience you must watch. In short this is nothing short of beautiful art!

Top Notch Film

[rklein123 · 8/10 · 3 April 2022]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this film. I ended up being very impressed. Certainly a lot to think about as it unrolls.

Technically, the film is so well done. The cinematography is beautiful. Excellent and impressive use of the camera to bring us into Sandro's life and world.

A single gay man, caught (or luxuriating?) in sexual fantasies about the men around him. He lives a mundane, routine life, but constantly indulges in fantasies and trysts to satisfy his sexual side.

But being of a generation where gay sex was a more hidden pleasure, he separates his daily life from his sexual needs and fantasies. And the film seems to suggest that he is a slave to his fantasies - as many of his fantasies involve leather sex and subjugation.

He has a romantic side too, that blends well with his purely sexual fantasies. I thought this was so beautifully displayed in the scene on the Loop ride at the livestock fair. The scene is SO beautiful that I had to go back and watch it again. And it still haunts me days later.

There are disturbing scenes, where the central character, Sandro, becomes angry and vindictive. But the insight into his inner turmoil is so acute in those scenes.

The juxtaposition of real and fantasy - the outside world and the inner workings of this man's mind - is wonderfully conveyed, if at times a little confusing.

Acting is top notch throughout the film on everyone's part.

The sex scenes are so real and nicely done. They are integrated neatly into the story and film, and while they are hot to watch, I would not consider them porn, but rather, insight into the characters - and the time and place.

There's an old adage that 'who you are is where you were, when.' Sandro is a product of his era, and Ricardo is a product of a more open and progressive time. And therein lies the tension of this story.